Fire Commission Could Seek Changes

Full-time Chief Possible After Lanning Retirement

January 28, 2002|By DAN UHLINGER; Courant Staff Writer

SOUTH WINDSOR — Fire Chief William Lanning's decision not to seek another five-year term will give the town fire commissioners the chance to seek changes in the department that some believe are needed.

Carlo Piacentini, a commissioner, said the town has grown to the point where the chief's duties require many more hours than the part-time position allows.

``Lanning's shoes are going to be tough to fill,'' he said over the weekend. ``I think the chief's job may need to be a full-time position.''

Town Manager Matthew B. Galligan said Sunday that if the commission favors a proposal to make the head of the volunteer fire department a 40-hour, paid professional, he would consider it.

``I don't have a problem with it, but I would have to study it and bring it to the town council, which would have to fund it,'' he said.

Galligan agreed that the chief's responsibilities have grown partly because of the increase in federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration regulations.

``There's OSHA and all its rules. It's complex. There's a lot more requirements and paperwork. I don't know if a part-time fire chief could get it all done,'' he said.

Galligan has said that the town was lucky to have Lanning because of his dual role as chief and town fire marshal.

As marshal, Lanning investigates fires and oversees enforcement of state and town codes. The job is a full-time town position that pays $60,000 a year. The marshal's office is at the fire department.

``It was good deal for the commission because they had Lanning at the department all day long [as marshal] and he could handle anything that came up at the time,'' Galligan said

Lanning, 65, announced on Friday that he would retire as chief when his term ends in June. He has been chief 15 years and a member of the department for four decades. He said he would continue being a volunteer firefighter and keep his fire marshal position.

Lanning said the chief's job, which pays $6,000 annually, had become too time-consuming and not worth a divisive battle in the department.

Lanning is a popular figure in the department but some firefighters and commission members have accused him of being too easygoing and not exerting enough leadership.

The commission, in a nonbinding 3-1 vote earlier this month, decided against reappointing him to another five-year term. Under the department's bylaws, a poll of its members is required before the commission can vote to uphold its decision. Since the Jan. 9 decision, the members have been submitting their secret votes. The votes were to be counted Tuesday, and the commission was expected to act after that.

Piacentini, who opposed Lanning, said it was an extremely difficult decision.

``This was not about Bill Lanning as a person. He's one of those guys you would follow through the halls of hell. Everybody likes him. He's a firefighter's firefighter,'' Piacentini said.

``He was too nice of a guy and couldn't enforce discipline. But he was in a tough position because it's a volunteer department. He had a lot of restraints,'' he said.

``He's given 39 years to the department and we appreciate it,'' said Thomas Dillon, another commissioner who opposed Lanning.